San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-27

CHAPTER XXX.-''L0RD OF ABBOTS LEIGH.
"And Max Beauregard is lord of Abbot's
Leigh"
Valerie heard the words, but not their
sense. She was quite stunned, and stood
staring blankly before her, with not yet
even definite thought Of how Max would
feel the loss Of his brother. The blow was
so sudden, so utterly unexpected, SO en-
tirely without warning. A man in the
vigor of his manhood, scarcely even ailing
at the time, struck down within a few
hours; in the morning dangerously ill-no
more: in the evening-deadI
And Valerie was young; to the young
sudden death is always appalling Only
experience can familiarize with these ca
tastrophes which seem to shake and rift
the fabric Of human existence. The girl
had heard Of death-read of 1t; she had
never met it face to face. On the battle
field sudden death Is but in the order OF
things. Here it was the crashing over.
throw Of all the order Of nature; and, agi'
tated as she already was, this terrible news
came upon the girl with the force Of Q
calamity.
But Mrs. Langley was fifty years old,
and of a wholly different temperament.
To say that she did not feel the blow in
any degree would be to do her injustice;
and she might have felt It more keenly but
for the serious worldly issues following
upon the death of General Beauregard: but
Constance Langley was, before all things,
worldly, and-in her way-ambitious
Even in the first shock Of the intelligence,
the facts that Max Beauregard was now
owner Of the broad lands Of Abbot's Leigh,
and that Valerie had received an offer
from Aston Lawford, were present to her
mind. Indeed, when that day she had
heard that Gerald was dangerously Ill, the
thought at once came: "If he should die,
then Max will be a leading man in the
world" And all the way home her busy
brain was revolving possibilities for Va
lerie's future. Beauregard, Lord Of Alb
bots Leigh, would be match with which
Aston Lawford, ironmaster, could not
compare. The Beauregards had great
estates in their own county and elsewhere,
and all the prestige Of ancient and Illus
trious family; and Colonel Beauregard had
personal charms Of high order, and per
sonal fame. What future lay before Va
lerie If only
And lol possibility had become more than
probability
Mrs. Langley rose to her feet. and looked
at her niece.
1T is very shocking-very dreadfulw she
said, slowly. Poor Elinorl and she has
no sonl' She removed her bonnet and
mantle, and began to take off her gloves.
"And Max" she added-"he will feel It,
although the brothers were not much to-
gether, and had few tastes in common.
Still they were always the best of friends"
Valerie sat down by small table near
and bowed her face in her hands, choking
with sobs which she tried to keep back.
All, how bitterly Max would suffer- He
would have no thought OF the vast change
in worldly fortune this death made to him.
Mrs. Langley did not speak She waited
until the girl had recovered herself some
what. and then she said, gently:
valerie dear, when you can attend to
me want to speak to you"
The girl lifted her head and stretched
out her hands with passionate gesture.
"Oh, suntie," she cried, you must not
be angry with me tonight 1 could not
bear itp'
"You are too sensitive, child. How do
you know am going to be angryf"
You will be-you must be-but speak to
me tomorrow"
II promise that will not seold you for